The 26th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival held its opening ceremony at 7 p.m. on July 7 at the Grass Square of Bucheon City Hall. It was the first face-to-face opening ceremony in 3 years, hosted by Actors Park Byungeun and Han Sunhwa. Chung Jiyoung, Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, said in a welcoming speech, "It's been 3 years since we met the audience here at the Grass Square last time. Instead of going back to the days before the Pandemic, we will go beyond the Pandemic and hold an evolved film festival."

At 6 p.m., ahead of the opening ceremony, about 1,500 guests attended the red-carpet event, including Kim Dongyeon, the Governor of Gyeonggi Province, Cho Yongik, Mayor of Bucheon, Gyeonggi, Directors such as Lee Joonik, JK Yoon, Bong Mandae, Actors such as Yoon Kyoonsang, Kim Bora, Ahn Seohyun, etc. In particular, Actor Sul Kyunggu, the protagonist of the special actor exhibition this year, Director Jung Bumshik of the closing film New Normal, and cast actors Choi Minho, Jung Dongwon, and Ha Dain appeared, increasing the audience's enthusiasm. 

The opening ceremony began with a celebratory performance of the cyber band ‘SAGONG_EE_HO,’ a songwriter Kim Hyungsuk participated in, followed by the declaration of opening the festival, the BIFAN Series Film Award, the program introduction, and the screening MEN (directed by Alex GARLAND), the opening film of the festival. 

Shin Chul, the Executive Chairperson of the festival said, "BIFAN insists that the time has come to redefine movies. We’re going to do something brave. We established the world's first 'Series Film Award'. Beyond the meaning of creating a new film award, it is Bucheon's special suggestion for the new definition of movies. He then presented the first Series Film Award at the Bucheon International Film Festival to Squid Game, explaining the reason for selecting it as a masterpiece that shook the world by depicting the desperate images of humans living with money as gods in a surprising way.

Under the slogan ‘Stay Strange,’ the 26th BIFAN started its opening ceremony on July 7 and will be held in an online and offline hybrid manner until July 17, screening 268 films from 49 countries. On the evening of the 8th, the second day of the festival, ‘K-Movie Night Bucheon 2022’ hosted by the Korean Film Council will be held. The purpose of this event is to introduce Korean films to film officials from all over the world who visited Bucheon and strengthen their networks.